Youth Action Institute

We're looking for young people who want to work with other young people to make real changes for young q***r and trans people in NYC. If that's you, apply by SUNDAY NIGHT! +

YAI might be for you if you've ever had more questions than people willing to answer questions. We're looking for NYC youth between 16 and 21 to join our year-long fellowship, studying + youth policy. Apply today!

We're kind of a job, kind of a class, kind of an after-school program, definitely a community. A fellowship with us means 5 paid hours per week for your own learning and growth, in collaboration with other motivated young people. If you're a young New Yorker who cares about + issues, apply today!

ATTN NYC youth! We're recruiting a new cohort for the 23-24 academic year. If you're 16-21yo, from NYC, and invested in q***r & trans issues--apply to work with us! Learn more & apply at buff.ly/3KYNhuK +

Today's the last day to apply to join the Youth Action Institute for this year! You have until 11:59 tonight. 🕛 Reach out with questions! https://buff.ly/3pUwTR1

Folks who get the most out of YAI all prioritize 3 things: commitment, collaboration, and communication. If you follow through, keep an open mind, and keep folks in the loop, you'll do great here.

Apply by Tuesday, September 6. https://buff.ly/3pUwTR1

YAI is open to any person between 16 and 21 who's a long-term NYC resident (no recent college transplants, please!). You don't need any previous work experience; we provide paid training before you start doing the research work. You do have to be passionate. That one's non-negotiable.

If that's you, apply by September 6! https://buff.ly/3pUwTR1

Deadline Extended! Take the long weekend and apply by September 6 - https://mailchi.mp/9bec843b4f4a/deadline-extended-apply-by-september-6

We're *really* into scheduling.
We meet as a cohort on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. We are currently planning for a hybrid model: virtual on Tuesdays, in-person on Thursdays.

Fellows also have individual check-ins with adult staff every week. These check-ins are virtual and scheduled to fit a Fellow’s calendar.

That's a total of 5 hours a week at $15 per hour, paid every 2 weeks on Fridays.

If you're into color coding your calendar, too, apply today! https://buff.ly/3ztlL1O

First Year Fellows spend their time in a few different ways:

Skill Building: All Fellows receive paid training in social science research, government & policy, and anti-oppression practices.

Background Research: Fellows read articles, watch informational videos, and listen to podcasts to build up their knowledge on their topic.

Research Interviewing: Fellows conduct and analyze interviews with impacted people and experts on their topic to answer specific questions about problems and solutions.

Create Solutions: As a team, Fellows compile their analyses and insights to identify what policies or practices would make things better for impacted people.

Connect with Community: Throughout all of their work, Fellows do active outreach to leaders and members of their own communities to not only share what they are working on, but also to make sure their work benefits their own community.

Connect with Change Leaders: Once Fellows have policy recommendations finalized, they identify who in government can make the changes they recommend, and start the work of persuading those leaders to implement their recommendations.

First Year Fellows can apply to return as Senior Fellows the following year, with slightly different responsibilities.

If this sounds like the type of work you want to be doing, apply today! https://buff.ly/3ztlL1O

Our application is live! Tell everyone you know!- https://mailchi.mp/8db0a150b15a/our-application-is-live

So... what do we actually DO in YAI?

We start with learning, together. Everyone comes in with a different experience, & we get everyone on the same page so that we can make better decisions & work cohesively. Check out our program guide & apply today! https://buff.ly/3c3FJc0

New School Year, New Us! - Check out our latest newsletter for a recap of our name change and other program model changes. https://mailchi.mp/0d9d9a81706f/new-school-year-new-us

New School Year, New Us! Check out our latest newsletter for a recap of our name change and other program model changes.

We help young people become researchers, leaders, & social justice advocates in service of their communities. A Fellowship means 5 paid hours per week for you to learn & grow with other motivated young people from around the NYC. Apply today!

Available now: the recording from our Pride Month panel Q***ring The Air! If you weren't able to join us at the end of June, you can watch the panel in its entirety on our website: https://buff.ly/3BKUevR

We're recruiting new Fellows! Join the Youth Action Institute to work on public policy that shapes the lives of young New Yorkers. If you're between 16 and 21 and looking for a new paid opportunity, check out our program guide here: https://buff.ly/3ztlL1O. Fellows must be long-term NYC residents and available for at least 5 hours per week.
Apply by 9/2!

WE'RE RECRUITING! If you're an NYC resident, age 16-21, and looking for a new paid opportunity, check out our Fellowship! More info, all the links, and more at https://buff.ly/3zmhux4. Pass it on! (TL:DR: $15/hr to be a social justice nerd.)

Our final panelist for TONIGHT is Alison Reba! Alison is a Black Trans butterfly, sibling, community organizer and healing justice practitioner who centers relationship building as a means to transform ourselves and our communities. They believe in the radical imagination and power of young people to transform our world, and carry with them over 10 years of experiences co-learning from their brilliance. Alison is deeply committed to a practice that interweaves storytelling, dreams, and soul + ancestral medicine as tools for collective liberation. They have organized and created spaces with , BYP 100, Audre Lorde Project, and Flatbush Tenant Coalition - FTC.

Join Alison and YAI TODAY at 5 (in one hour!)!! Register now! https://buff.ly/3AaiTJu

Say hello to our third featured panelist, Fabliha Yeaqub! Fabliha (she/they) is a multi-disciplinary artist, writer, and community organizer based in New York City. She is the cultural organizer for Arts & Democracy where her main focus is cultivating a safe environment for immigrant youth to creatively express themselves through art and culture. Fabliha is also the founder of the Marigold Seeds Collective, a grassroots organization for LGBTQ+ South Asians and Indo-Caribbeans. She has been featured in multiple publications such as Teen Vogue, Vice, NBC News, Refinery29, and more. Fabliha utilizes the many facets of her identity in her writing and believes storytelling is a powerful tool to heal souls.

Join Fabliha and YAI TOMORROW at 5 pm! Register here; https://buff.ly/3OJCDr8

Our second featured panelist is Lynx Z! Lynx is also a Peer Educator for Community Health Care Network Teens PACT (Positive Action and Choices for Teens) They have been working as a peer educator for 4 years, and doing community work in the form of workshops and outreach to give teens and young people tools and skills surrounding sexual health and healthy relationships, with a strong passion and focus on LGBTQ youth. Join Lynx and YAI on Monday at 5--register today! https://buff.ly/3OAiAeV

Our first featured panelist is Jaz Saint-Victor! Jaz Saint-Victor is a Peer Educator for Community Health Care Network Teens PACT (Positive Action and Choices for Teens). They spend time facilitating workshops, creating fun social media content, and connecting with youth about sexual health. Jaz is also an artist whose main goal is to create more Black and Q***r representation in cartoons and the fantasy world. With the knowledge and skills from working with teens and their own creativity, they started “Art4Donations,” trading their art for donations to LGBT+ organizations and individuals, becoming one of the winners of the Colin Higgins Youth Courage Award. Jaz aims to help youth see themselves in conversations about health and in the creative fields.

Join Jaz and YAI on Monday at 5--register today! https://buff.ly/3OAiAeV

We’re closing out our program year by Q***ring The Air! Join us and four fabulous panelists on Monday, June 27 at 5pm for a conversation about community, program spaces, and organizing for q***r and trans youth in NYC. Our panelists will talk about their organizing work, their principles, and some of their successes in support of q***r and trans youth in NYC. They will also discuss and identify the strategies and spaces that best support LGBTQ+ youth, and support all youth in exploring their gender and sexuality. From what’s shared, we’ll identify ways to create gender & sexuality-affirming environments for all young people in NYC.

For more info and registration: https://buff.ly/3OAiAeV

We've changed our name!

After 17 years of supporting youth advocacy by training teens to study public policy issues affecting young people, we're shifting from the Youth Justice Board to the Youth Action Institute!

The Youth Action Institute Institute will work with young people ages 16-21 and focus on multiple youth-determined topics, rather than one issue a year as the Board had done.

We're making some more under-the-hood changes (stay tuned for updates) but our core remains the same: we're supporting young New Yorkers in becoming experts and advocates for youth agency and policy change.

Youth Action Institute updated their business hours.